Bill Acceptor For a Gaming Machine

ABSTRACT

A bill acceptor  24.2  for a gaming machine includes a receiving zone for receiving a tendered bill. A sensing device  48  is arranged at an input region of the receiving zone for sensing at least one characteristic of the bill A controller  52  is in communication with the sensing device  48  for receiving an output signal from the sensing device  48 . An annunciator  58  is controlled by the controller  52  to be activated when a bill acceptance rate of the controller  52  drops below a predetermined threshold.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/030,783which was filed on Feb. 18, 2011, which is a continuation of co-pendingapplication Ser. No. 10/020,484 which was filed on Dec. 21, 2001, whichare hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[Not Applicable]

MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE

[Not Applicable]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a gaming machine. More particularly, theinvention relates to a bill acceptor for a gaming machine and to amethod of operating a bill acceptor of a gaming machine.

It is becoming more and more prevalent for gaming machines to accept“paper” money or bank notes from players wishing to play gamingmachines. As a result, more and more gaming machines include billacceptors for such bank notes.

It is important that a bill acceptor be extremely accurately set toensure that the insertion of false or counterfeit bank notes is kept toa minimum thereby minimising losses which the gaming machine operatormay suffer.

Because the bill acceptor is a sensitive item, it may have a tendency tohave a high rejection rate. As a result, a gaming machine equipped withsuch a bill acceptor may not be frequented by players wishing to usebank notes due to the rejection of the bank notes by the bill acceptor.

It is also desirable that, should one wish to alert a technician to thefact that a bill acceptor may be malfunctioning, it be done in adiscrete manner so as not to disturb a player playing that gamingmachine who may have been using another form of credit such as coins,tokens, cards, or the like.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a billacceptor for a gaming machine, the bill acceptor comprising:

a receiving zone for receiving a bill;

a sensing device at an input region of the receiving zone for sensing atleast one characteristic of the bill;

a controller in communication with the sensing device for receiving anoutput signal from the sensing device; and

an annunciator controlled by the controller to be activated when a billacceptance rate of the controller drops below a predetermined threshold.

The term “bill” is to be understood in this specification, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise, as a form of paper currency such asa bank note. Further, the term “bill acceptance rate” as it is used inthis, specification is to be understood, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise, as the number of bills which are accepted in abatch of bills tendered to the gaming machine. It does not refer to thespeed with which the controller accepts or rejects a tendered bill.

The receiving zone may incorporate a platen on which the bill isreceived and a slot at an end of the platen into which the bill is to beinserted. The platen may be arranged in a midtrim of the machine.

The sensing device may be arranged within the machine, inwardly of theslot. The sensing device may sense at least one of optical, magnetic anddimensional characteristics of the bill. In use, more than one of thesecharacteristics may be sensed by the sensing device to reduce theprevalence of fraudulent or counterfeit bills.

The receiving zone may include an attracting means for indicating to apatron where the bill is to be inserted into the slot. The attractingmeans may comprise an array of illuminating elements arranged in theplaten of the receiving zone.

In addition, the annunciator may also be arranged in the receiving zone.

The controller may cause the array of illuminating elements to beilluminated in a predetermined, first pattern and the annunciator may beimplemented in the form of an illumination of the illuminating elementsin a second, different pattern. The illuminating elements may be, forexample, light emitting diodes (LED's). The LED's may be arranged in tworows. The rows may converge towards the slot. The first pattern maycomprise sequential energising of corresponding LED's in each rowfollowed by sequential de-energising of the corresponding LED's in eachrow. This may then constitute the first pattern. Upon completion of thefirst pattern, all the LED's may be energised so that they are allsimultaneously illuminated and this may constitute the second patternbeing the implementation of the annunciator.

Accordingly, the second pattern may be activated after completion of thefirst pattern when the bill acceptance rate has dropped below saidpredetermined threshold. This predetermined threshold may be set asdesired by an operator of the gaming machine. For example, the thresholdmay be a bill acceptance rate of about 70% to 90% of tendered bills,preferably about 75% to 85% of tendered bills and, optimally, about 80%of tendered bills.

The gaming machine may be connected to a network. When the controller ofsuch a gaming machine is connected to the network, a network monitoringsystem may monitor the acceptance rate of bills by the controller andmay activate an alarm means when the acceptance rate drops below thepredetermined threshold. This gives venue operating and servicepersonnel an on-line and immediate indicator of the performance of thebill acceptor of the gaming machine. The monitoring system may activatea visual or audible alarm indicating the need for attention to the billacceptor.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided amethod of operating a bill acceptor of a gaming machine, the methodincluding the steps of:

sensing at least one characteristic of a bill inserted into the billacceptor;

monitoring a bill acceptance rate by a controller; and

activating an annunciator when the bill acceptance rate drops below apredetermined threshold.

The method may include energising illuminating elements of the billacceptor in a predetermined pattern and, when the bill acceptance ratedrops below said threshold, energising the illuminating elements in asecond, different pattern, said second pattern of illumination of theilluminating elements serving as the annunciator. The second pattern ofillumination of the illuminating elements may follow completion of thefirst pattern.

As indicated above, when the gaming machine is connected to a network,the method may include transmitting a signal on the network to which thegaming machine is connected to a network monitoring system to activatean alarm means when the bill acceptance rate drops below saidpredetermined threshold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a gaming machine;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the gaming machine;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a controller of a bill acceptor of thegaming machine;

FIG. 4 shows a sequence of illumination of illuminating elements of thebill acceptor of the gaming machine; and

FIG. 5 shows operation of an annunciator of the bill acceptor of thegaming machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates a gaming machine,including a game, in accordance with the invention. The machine 10includes a console 12 having a video display unit 14 on which a game 16is played, in use. The game 16 is a spinning reel game which simulatesthe rotation of a number of spinning reels 18. A midtrim 20 of themachine 10 houses a bank 22 of buttons for enabling a player to play thegame 16. The midtrim 20 also houses a credit input mechanism 24including a coin input chute 24.1 and a bill collector 24.2. Themechanism 24 may, in addition to the coin input chute 24.1 and the billcollector 24.2, include a credit card reader (not shown) or any othertype of validation device.

The machine 10 includes a top box 26 on which artwork 28 is carried. Theartwork 28 includes paytables, details of bonus awards, etc.

A coin tray 30 is mounted beneath the console 12 for cash payouts fromthe machine 10.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a control means or control circuit32 is illustrated. A program which implements the game and userinterface is run on a processor 34 of the control circuit 32. Theprocessor 34 forms part of a controller 36 which drives the screen ofthe video display unit 14 and which receives input signals from sensors38. The sensors 38 include sensors associated with the bank 22 ofbuttons and touch sensors mounted in the screen. The controller 36 alsoreceives input pulses from the mechanism 24 indicating that a player hasprovided sufficient credit to commence playing.

Finally, the controller 36 drives a payout mechanism 40 which, forexample, may be a coin hopper for feeding coins to the coin tray 30 tomake a pay out to a player when the player wishes to redeem his or hercredit.

The bill acceptor 24.2 includes a platen 42 leading to an input slot 44.An illuminating means in the form of an array of light emitting diodes(LED's) 46 is arranged in the platen 42 of the bill acceptor 24.2.

The bill acceptor 24.2 further includes a sensing device in the form ofa sensor array 48 (FIG. 3). The sensor array 48 senses optical, magneticand dimensional characteristics or properties of a bill tendered to thebill acceptor 24.2 of the gaming machine 10. The sensor array 48 outputssignals on line 50 to a controller 52. The controller 52 is a billacceptor controller and communicates with the controller 34 of thegaming machine 10.

The controller 52 includes a group of counters 54. A first counter ofthe group of counters 54 is incremented each time a bill is accepted bythe bill acceptor 24.2.

Accordingly, when a bill is tendered to the bill acceptor 24.2 by beingplaced on the platen 42 it is received in the slot 44 and is drawn intothe sensor array 48 by a transport motor 56 under the action of thecontroller 52. The bill is then sensed by the sensor array 48 whichdetermines whether or not its optical, magnetic and dimensionalproperties meet the required criteria. If the bill is accepted, thetransport motor 56 is again energised which feeds the bill to areceptacle (not shown) contained within the console 12 of the gamingmachine 10. The first counter of the group of counters 54 is incrementedby one.

Conversely, if the sensor array 48 determines that the bill isunacceptable, the transport motor 56 is operated in the reversedirection and the note is ejected from the slot 44 of the bill acceptor24.2. A second counter of the group of counters 54 is incremented byone.

After each tender of a bill, the controller 52 updates its calculationof the bill acceptance rate (BAR) according to the formula:

BAR(%)[A/(A+R)].times.100%,

where A=value of first counter of the group of counters 54; and R=valueof second counter of the group of counters 54.

When the acceptance rate as determined by the controller 52 is at orabove the predetermined threshold, for example, a BAR of 80%, the arrayof LED's 46 of the bill acceptor 24.2 is energised in a predetermined,first pattern under the action of the controller controlling a lightingsystem 58.

A typical pattern is as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings and isdesignated generally by the reference numeral 60. The array 46 compriseseight LED's 62 arranged in two converging rows 64. The rows 64 convergetowards the slot 44 of the bill acceptor 24.2.

Under the control of the lighting system 58, in State 0, all of theLED's 62 remain de-energised. Thereafter, in a first state, the firstLED 62 in each row is energised. By “first” is meant those LED'sfurthest from the slot 44. In the second state, the first LED's 62remain energised and the second LED's 62 are also energised. Similarly,in the third and fourth states the third LED 62 in each row 64 andfourth LED 62 in each row 64 are energised, respectively. In State 5,the first LED's 62 are de-energised while the remaining LED's 62 in eachrow remain energised. In the sixth state, the second LED 62 in each row64 is de-energised and in the seventh state the third LED 62 in each rowis de-energised.

It will be appreciated that this happens reasonably quickly to createthe impression of the LED's 62 being illuminated towards the slot 44 tocreate the impression of something being fed towards the slot 44 to actas an attracting means to a patron wishing to insert a bill into thebill acceptor 24.2.

When the BAR is above the predetermined threshold, the pattern 64continues indefinitely.

However, when the BAR drops below the predetermined threshold, uponcompletion of the pattern 60, a new pattern (as shown by referencenumeral 66 in FIG. 5 of the drawings) is interposed between States 7 and0. In other words, once the last LED 62 in each row 64 of the array 46has been energised as in the case of State 7, all the LED's 62 in eachrow 64 are energised before they are all de-energised as is shown forState 0. This new pattern 66 continues to be inter posed between State 7and State 0 for as long as the BAR remains below the predeterminedthreshold.

With this arrangement, a technician can, by monitoring the pattern 60,determine whether or not the BAR of the controller 52 is above therequired threshold and, if not, is alerted by the annunciator asimplemented by the pattern 66 to take the appropriate remedial action.

It is an advantage of the invention that the pattern 66, which functionsas the annunciator for the technician, is discrete and that a playerplaying the gaming machine 10 using other means of credit input, such ascoins or a card, is not disturbed by the change in pattern on the billacceptor 24.2.

The gaming machine 10 may be connected to a network in the venue. Inthat case, the controller 52 feeds information regarding the BAR to avenue network system 68 (FIG. 3) via a network communications line 70.The system 68 then gives venue operating and service personnel anon-line and immediate indicator of the performance of the bill acceptor24.2 of each gaming machine 10 enabling remedial action to be taken inan expedited manner when the BAR of any gaming machine in the networkdrops below the predetermined threshold. The system 68 could, forexample, activate a visual or audible alarm (not shown) indicating theneed for attention to a bill acceptor 24.2 of any gaming machine on thenetwork.

It is an advantage of the invention that a discrete arrangement isprovided for determining the bill acceptance rate of a bill acceptor24.2 of a gaming machine 10, whether networked or not. It will beappreciated that if the controller 52 has a too high rejection rate ofbills, the revenue received by the venue in which the gaming machine 10is installed could be adversely affected as players may not have coinsto play the machine instead. Accordingly, it is important that, when abill acceptor 24.2 of a gaming machine 10 has an unacceptable highrejection rate, remedial action can be taken urgently.

In addition, the manner in which a technician is alerted to amalfunctioning bill acceptor 24.2 takes place in a discrete manner usingthe invention so that patrons are not disturbed in their playing of thegaming machine.

1. A bill acceptor for a gaming machine, the bill acceptor comprising areceiving zone for receiving a bill; a sensing device at an input regionof the receiving zone for sensing at least one characteristic of thebill; a controller in communication with the sensing device forreceiving an output signal from the sensing device; and an annunciatorcontrolled by the controller to be activated when a bill acceptance rateof the controller drops below a predetermined threshold.
 2. The billacceptor of claim 1, in which the receiving zone incorporates a platenon which the bill is received and a slot at an end of the platen intowhich the bill is to be inserted.
 3. The bill acceptor of claim 2, inwhich the sensing device is arranged inwardly of the slot.
 4. The billacceptor of claim 1, in which the sensing device senses at least one ofoptical, magnetic and dimensional characteristics of the bill.
 5. Thebill acceptor of claim 2, in which the receiving zone includes anattracting means for indicating to a patron where the bill is to beinserted into the slot.
 6. The bill acceptor of claim 5, in which theattracting means comprises an array of illuminating elements arranged inthe platen of the receiving zone.
 7. The bill acceptor of claim 6, inwhich the annunciator is arranged in the receiving zone.
 8. The billacceptor of claim 7, in which the controller causes the array ofilluminating elements to be illuminated in a predetermined, firstpattern and the annunciator is implemented in the form of anillumination of the illuminating elements in a second, differentpattern.
 9. The bill acceptor of claim 8, in which the second pattern isactivated after completion of the first pattern when the bill acceptancerate has dropped below said predetermined threshold.
 10. The billacceptor of claim 1, in which, when the controller is connected to anetwork, a network monitoring system monitors the acceptance rate ofbills by the controller and activates an alarm means when the acceptancerate drop below the predetermined threshold.
 11. A method of operating abill acceptor of a gaming machine, the method including the steps of:sensing at least one characteristic of a bill inserted into the billacceptor; monitoring a bill acceptance rate by a controller; andactivating an annunciator when the bill acceptance rate drops below apredetermined threshold.
 12. The method of claim 11, which includesenergising illuminating elements of the bill acceptor in a predeterminepattern and, when the bill acceptance rate drops below said threshold,energising the illuminating elements in a second, different pattern,said second pattern of illumination of the illuminating elements servingas the annunciator.
 13. The method of claim 12, in which the secondpattern of illumination of the illuminating elements follows completionof the first pattern.
 14. The method of claim 11, which includestransmitting a signal on a network to which the gaming machine isconnected to a network monitoring system to activate an alarm means whenthe bill acceptance rate drops below said predetermined threshold.